This invention pertains to shipping packages for products which require protection from the vibration and impacts which occur during handling and transportation.
During shipment, packages containing breakable products are subjected to vibrations and to many impact shocks from being dropped from heights of 36 inches or higher. The magnitude of these impacts can be as high as 700 Gs (700 times the force of gravity) and more. The cushioning medium of the package must "dampen" these shocks to a level of impact which the packaged product can sustain and still function satisfactorily. The "impact rating" of a product defines the maximum impact the product can safely sustain without damage
Corrugated cardboard, and certain arrangements of folded corrugated cardboard, have been used to protect and cushion more durable products, such as radios, toasters, and the like. However, corrugated cardboard is generally ill-suited to today's more delicate items. Molded paper fiber has been used to some extent for packaging of durable products, but was often too stiff or ineffective for the packaging requirements of many products.
For more fragile and sensitive items, foam-type packaging has been used to protect the products. For example, semi-rigid expanded polystyrene has been used to protect fragile items rated in the 40 to 120 G range, such as televisions and computer terminals. Flexible urethane, polypropylene and polyethylene have been used to package the most sensitive products such as medical equipment and hard disk drives, which are often rated within the 20 to 40 G range. Packaging made of such polymers uses the resiliency of the material itself to cushion the product from harsh impacts by providing a material which crushes and absorbs energy upon impact, thereby decelerating the package product in a gradual manner.
While polymer packaging is quite effective at protecting fragile products, use of such packaging has been discouraged as being harmful to the environment. Foam packaging is traditionally made from petroleum, a diminishing resource, and the manufacture of foam often releases destructive hydrochlorofluorocarbons. Further, foam tends not to decompose, and takes up valuable landfill space.
The present invention provides an arrangement to meet those needs.